1. Incinerators are the preferred method of disposal all over the World

 

United States - ' Currently, over 90% of potentially infectious medical waste is incinerated. '

 

Source- United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

 

Germany - ' The arguments against waste incineration plants in particular are still found in many places in the world where such facilities are planned. Today, however, technologies are available which have made waste incineration a clean and environmentally sound form of waste management, so that such opposition is now unfounded. '

 

Source - Federal Environment Ministry

 

Australia - ' Incineration is the only permitted method of destruction of medical waste in South Australia. '

 

Source - South Australian Environmental Protection authority.

 

2. Dioxin emissions are easily controlled in today's incinerators.

 

Dioxins are generated in residential fireplaces, open burning, home grills, diesel engines, paper mills, pesticides and wood-preservative manufacturing, chemical industries, etc.

 

Dioxins are generally formed in the lower temperature range and only in the presence of halogens like chlorine.

 

An incinerator testing programme in Canada showed that concentration of dioxins and furans tend to be effectively destroyed when the temperature is raised to 1200° C, activated carbon is added and when rapid cooling is done to prevent reformation by de-novo synthesis.

 

3. Incineration has lower environmental impacts compared to other methods of managing waste.

 

All methods like recycling,

composting, land-filling and incineration have similar environmental impacts. Comparison of impacts is difficult because alternative systems generate different pollutants having various toxicities, effects, risks and modes and affect different populations and eco systems. Analysis of health risks from dioxins and trace metals in composting and incineration processes indicate that because human exposure to these substances may be greater through food chain pathways than through inhalation pathways, the risks may actually be greater from composting.

 

The US Congress Office of Technology Assessment (USCOTA) says in a report, 'It is not possible to quantitatively determine whether recycling produces more or less pollutants, or poses greater or fewer risks, per ton of material processed than do incineration or land-filling.'

 

4. Incineration is the last step in any waste management cycle.

 

After materials have been utilised for reuse or recycling, only the final waste quantity which has no other application or resource should be incinerated.

 

5. Incinerators provide clean emissions

 

Incineration today is a clean and environmentally sound form of waste management and emission values can be controlled extremely well.

 

6. Incinerators are a clean energy source

 

In comparison to the environmental impact from drilling for fossil fuels, incinerators take materials at the end of the waste management chain and use them for generating power. Any source of energy that reduces our dependence on Oil & Gas is welcome. In the EU, most countries have been incinerating their waste for many years and generating power from the same.